Scene in D.C.: Bond’s Spy Museum, ‘Martian’ Chronicle

By Stephanie Green -
Nov 14, 2012

Two Aston Martins were parked
outside the residence of British Ambassador Peter Westmacott
last night.

The cars and 300 guests were there to celebrate Friday’s
opening of “Exquisitely Evil: 50 Years of Bond Villains”
at the International Spy Museum. The exhibition coincides with
the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise. Aston
Martin Holdings Ltd., Heineken NV (HEIA), and AgustaWestland were the
evening sponsors.

The drink of choice was the British agent’s usual, a good
martini.

“Shaken not stirred,” said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk when asked about his cocktail.

Oysters and shepherd’s pie were handed out as guests
surveyed the exhibition. Among the artifacts loaned to the party
were Jaws’ metal teeth from 1977’s “The Spy Who Loved Me” and
the book “The Art of War” with a knife stuck in the cover from
2002’s “Die Another Day.”

The exhibition was represented by James Gomez, the
president of Malrite Co., which owns the museum, and Milton
Maltz, who founded the company and the museum.

Westmacott caught up with White House Social Secretary
Jeremy Bernard. After the reception, guests were treated to a
screening of “Skyfall,” 007’s latest adventure, starring
Daniel Craig.

Senator Susan Collins, Maine Republican, said she brought
along her two nieces to swoon over Craig, although Sean Connery
remains her favorite Bond.

“It’s the accent,” said Robin Naysmith, the Scottish
Counselor at the British Embassy, sticking up for his fellow
Scotsman.

Toy helicopters were given as swag as guests left. Real
helicopters, which were provided by AgustaWestland, figure
prominently in the new Bond film.

‘Martian’s Daughter’

Also last night, Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank
stepped out with her husband, Hanns Kuttner, a visiting fellow
for the Hudson Institute.

They came to a book party hosted by Hungarian Ambassador
Gyorgy Szapary for her old friend Marina von Neumann Whitman,
who recently released her memoir, “The Martian’s Daughter.”

The “martian” is her late father, the acclaimed
mathematician and Manhattan Project fixture John von Neumann.

Whitman became a business leader, one of the first women on
the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, and an
accomplished author.

Embarking on her first memoir was a new frontier for her as
a writer. “It’s hard for an academic to sound like a human
being.”

The event was co-hosted by Debbie Dingell, the wife of
Congressman John Dingell, Michigan Democrat, who knew Whitman 30
years ago when both women were working for General Motors Co. (GM)

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and former
Hungarian Finance Minister Mihaly Varga were also present.

(Stephanie Green is a writer and photographer for Muse, the
arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Any opinions
expressed are her own.)